Sweden - Israel

Open Series - Round 26

The Tuesday evening Rama match between Sweden and Israel was one between two teams who looked like having missed their chance to qualify. Still, there were a number of interesting deals, about which we will report below. The first board of the session produced a sensational slam swing in one of the Seniors matches, however.

Session 26. Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª K 10 8 4 3 © - ¨ A 4 3 § K J 9 4 2
ª Q 7 © K J 8 6 5 ¨ 8 6 5 § A 8 7		ª 6 2 © A 7 4 ¨ Q J 10 2 § Q 10 6 3
	ª A J 9 5 © Q 10 9 3 2 ¨ K 9 7 § 5

West	North	East	South
	Bomhof		Englander
	1ª	Pass	4§
Pass	4¨	Pass	4ª
Pass	6ª (?!)	All Pass

Well, this auction looks more like coming from a Juniors match, wouldn´t you agree? After the splinter and the cuebid Bomhof reasoned that all the cards partner held would be working, because he could not cuebid hearts. Well, he was right to a certain extent, the flaw in his reasoning being that partner did not hold a sufficient amount of high cards. But with some help of the opponents, or even without any help, there are chances for 12 tricks. East made the natural and good lead of the ¨Q, won by dummy´s king. A club was immediately taken by West´s ace, though ducking it does no harm to the defence. On this ace, East wanted to draw partner´s attention to the heart suit, so he contributed the §Q! West duly switched to a heart, but Bomhof ruffed, shed a diamond on the §K, ruffed a club, ruffed a heart, ruffed a diamond, drew trumps and had 12 tricks when the clubs broke. If East does not contribute the §Q, declarer will ruff the heart return, shed a diamond, ruff a club with the nine, ruff a heart, ruff a diamond with the ªJ, ruff a heart, ruff a club with the ªA and lead a spade to the ten! Contract made.

P. Bertheau, Sweden

Session 26. Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª J 4 © 8 7 6 5 4 ¨ A 10 8 4 3 § 8
ª K 9 8 6 © - ¨ J 2 § A J 10 9 7 6 5		ª A 10 5 3 2 © J 9 3 ¨ Q 9 § Q 3 2
	ª Q 7 © A K Q 10 2 ¨ K 7 6 5 § K 4

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Yadlin D.	Bertheau	Yadlin I.	Nyström
Pass	Pass	Pass	1§
2§	Pass	Pass	2©
Pass	4§	Pass	4©
All Pass

When East failed to show his spades over partner´s 2§ overcall, this fit remained undisclosed and the opponents were allowed to play in 4©. With the diamonds breaking there are always ten tricks. Sweden +620.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Sundelin	Herbst O.	Sylvan	Herbst I.
Pass	Pass	Pass	1NT
2¨	2©	2ª	3©
4§	Pass	4ª	Pass
Pass	5¨	5ª	6©
Dble	All Pass

Ilan Herbst, Israel

Here, E/W put maximum pressure on their opponents by going to 5ª over 5¨. The latter contract is one off, but 5ª makes. The Herbst brothers, at their turn, did very well too when they judged to go on to 6©. This was only one down when East returned a club rather than a spade after the lead of the §A and a switch to a low spade by West. Apparently East expected West to shift to the ªK had he got it, in which case the low spade would deny the presence of the ªK. With +620 at the other table, it did not matter very much. Sweden another +200 and 13 IMP´s.

Session 26. Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
	ª A Q 7 6 5 © A Q J 8 4 ¨ 7 § A J
ª 9 © 10 9 5 ¨ A J 10 9 6 5 § Q 10 8		ª J 4 2 © K 7 3 2 ¨ Q 3 § 7 5 4 2
	ª K 10 8 3 © 6 ¨ K 8 4 2 § K 9 6 3

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Yadlin D.	Bertheau	Yadlin I.	Nyström
Pass	1§	Pass	1ª
2¨	2ª	Pass	3ª
Pass	4¨	Pass	4©
Pass	4NT	Pass	5§
Pass	6ª	All Pass

Nystrom Fredrik, Sweden

The slam looks a little high, but on the actual lead of the ¨A there are several winning lines. Nyström however won the second diamond with the king, cashed the ©A and ruffed a heart low. A club went to the ace and another heart has ruffed with the ª10. After the §K and a club ruff in dummy, the ©Q was covered with the king and ruffed with the ª8, West being able to overruff now with the singleton nine. The subsequent diamond return set up a trump trick for East as well. Down two, Israel +100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Sundelin	Herbst O.	Sylvan	Herbst I.
Pass	1ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

Nothing special, 12 tricks on a heart lead away from the king by East. Israel +480 and 11 IMP´s.

On the next board to be shown, the swing came from the auction only:

Session 26. Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	ª K 10 7 5 © A K Q 8 4 ¨ Q 7 4 3 § -
ª 9 8 © - ¨ 9 5 § A Q J 10 9 7 4 3 2		ª J 6 3 2 © J 10 7 2 ¨ A J 8 2 § 8
	ª A Q 4 © 9 6 5 3 ¨ K 10 6 § K 6 5

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Yadlin D.	Bertheau	Yadlin I.	Nyström
		Pass	1¨
4§	Dble	All Pass

Well, double may well be the most flexible action for North over 4§, but you certainly do not want your partner to pass with three clubs only. The contract still went one off, but with 4© making, that was not enough. Sweden +200.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Sundelin	Herbst O.	Sylvan	Herbst I.
		Pass	1§
4§	4©	Pass	Pass
5§	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

Ophir Herbst made the practical bid of 4©, a contract he would certainly have made. When Sundelin rebid his nine-card suit, the only sensible thing South could do was to take the penalty. Israel +500, but 7 IMP´s to them.

Session 26. Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª 6 3 2 © 8 7 ¨ A Q 8 2 § J 10 8 4
ª A K Q 7 4 © 9 3 2 ¨ - § K Q 9 7 5		ª J 10 8 5 © J 10 4 ¨ J 7 6 5 4 § 6
	ª 9 © A K Q 6 5 ¨ K 10 9 3 § A 3 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Yadlin D.	Bertheau	Yadlin I.	Nyström
	Pass	Pass	1§
Pass	1¨	Pass	1©
1ª	1NT	Pass	2¨
3§	Dble	3ª	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

1§ showed 12-16 hcp., any distribution. Obviously, the sight of dummy must have been a disappointment for North. Even on a trump lead, this contract could not be defeated. Israel +730.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Sundelin	Herbst O.	Sylvan	Herbst I.
	Pass	Pass	1©
2©	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Opposite the twosuited overcall, East made a preemptive-looking raise, but west went on to game anyway. That was just one too high, Israel another +100 and 13 IMP´s

The final result was 58-35 or a 20-10 V.P. win to Israel.